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CNN Live At Daybreak

White House Reacts Skeptically

Aired November 14, 2002 - 06:04   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The White House reacting skeptically, making it clear that Iraq's failure to cooperate fully will almost certainly mean war.
CNN national correspondent Frank Buckley has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): White House officials say Iraq had no choice but to comply with Security Council Resolution 1441 to allow the U.N. weapons inspectors back in, but they say it's still an open question as to whether or not Saddam Hussein will allow the inspectors to do their job.

The Iraqis signaled that they would, in fact, allow the inspectors back in, in this nine-page letter that was sent to Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general. Annan visited here at the White House with President Bush, and he says that the first real test will come when the weapons inspectors are on the ground.

They will be there by next Monday. By December 8, the Iraqis must disclose an entire inventory of all of their weapons programs. If something is omitted that White House officials say they know is there, they will consider that a violation.

President Bush has made it clear that there will be no negotiations with Saddam Hussein. As he put it, "Saddam Hussein must disarm, or the U.S., with friends, will disarm him."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: That was Frank Buckley.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.






Aired November 14, 2002 - 06:04   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CATHERINE CALLAWAY, CNN ANCHOR: The White House reacting skeptically, making it clear that Iraq's failure to cooperate fully will almost certainly mean war.
CNN national correspondent Frank Buckley has more.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

FRANK BUCKLEY, CNN NATIONAL CORRESPONDENT (on camera): White House officials say Iraq had no choice but to comply with Security Council Resolution 1441 to allow the U.N. weapons inspectors back in, but they say it's still an open question as to whether or not Saddam Hussein will allow the inspectors to do their job.

The Iraqis signaled that they would, in fact, allow the inspectors back in, in this nine-page letter that was sent to Kofi Annan, the U.N. secretary-general. Annan visited here at the White House with President Bush, and he says that the first real test will come when the weapons inspectors are on the ground.

They will be there by next Monday. By December 8, the Iraqis must disclose an entire inventory of all of their weapons programs. If something is omitted that White House officials say they know is there, they will consider that a violation.

President Bush has made it clear that there will be no negotiations with Saddam Hussein. As he put it, "Saddam Hussein must disarm, or the U.S., with friends, will disarm him."

(END VIDEOTAPE)

CALLAWAY: That was Frank Buckley.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com.